| Author | Message | ||
     AC Donahue (Deoppressoliber) New Member Username: Deoppressoliber Post Number: 2 Registered: 07-2003 |
My 1990 Range Rover Classic SWB with 130,000 miles is dangerously loose on the highway. All sorts of problems, which I suspect, are being caused by unrelated issues. Can you help sort it out? For what it is worth, the truck is tricked-out with Old Man Emu shocks and springs all-around and max/mud terrains (MT) tires all around. ISSUE #1 - As noted, the truck is dangerously loose on the highway. It's hard to control the truck at 45 mph, let alone 55 or 60 mph. The truck is all over the road. Seems to be a lot of play in the steering wheel. Like all respectable Rovers, the steering gearbox leaked like a sieve until it met its match with Lucas. Now it leaks a little. I suspect the steering gearbox is original. What needs checked and/or replacing? ISSUE #2 - When taking off from a stopped position -or- when encountering a tough obstacle on the trail, one would hear an occasional loud 'popping' noise from the front of the truck. Over time, the popping noise has become more frequent. We also notice that if you let off the gas quickly, the truck will swerve. The truck is even more squemish in curves (maybe related to ISSUE #1 above). You can feel the truck trying to pull against itself as it goes through the curve. I can no longer go out on the trail as the popping noise is unbearable in town, let alone encountering an obstacle. Is this front popping noise the front diff about to go? Does this issue affect the issue addressed in #1 above? As always, your help is greatly appreciated. | ||
| Greg Hirst (Gregh) Member Username: Gregh Post Number: 243 Registered: 10-2002 |
Check your suspension bushings-would explain wallowy suspension and if panhard rod bushings shot could cause popping noise you refer to. I use polybushes and like them alot but others on this board think OEM rubber only thing to use. Of course, alot of other things could be causing your probs too but too much to type... | ||
| Aaron Richardet (Draaronr) Member Username: Draaronr Post Number: 192 Registered: 09-2002 |
I gotta go with Greg, probably the bushings causing all of your problems. | ||
| Alan Bates (Alanb) Member Username: Alanb Post Number: 238 Registered: 07-2002 |
Might also check or tighten up steering box, loosen lock nut on top of box, tighten down the allen bolt, tighten lock nut, check for play in steering by turning steering wheel back and forth while watching when the wheels respond, repeat if still loose but don't overtighten. You might need a long socket extension with a swivel to get to the locking nut, and I think it is a 19mm socket, and a 6 or 8 mm allen wrench. Here is link on some helpful info: http://www.atlanticbritish.com/techtips_main.html http://www.rangerovers.net | ||
| Paul T. Schram (Paulschram) Senior Member Username: Paulschram Post Number: 1768 Registered: 02-2002 |
Tie rod ends, swivel preload, shock absorbers, bushings, universal joints, steering damper, steering gearbox lash, tire balance-but, not necessarily in that order. | ||
| David Hobbs (Ca_surveyor) New Member Username: Ca_surveyor Post Number: 37 Registered: 11-2002 |
I would also like to know. I have replaced the steering box, shocks, springs, panhard bushings, steering damper, tie rod ends, and pitman arm reduild. Still have a vague feel and the occasional pops. | ||
| Rob Davison (Nosivad_bor) Senior Member Username: Nosivad_bor Post Number: 590 Registered: 02-2003 |
lets not forget drunk driver... seriously, the loss of castor with OME lift might be exaggerating it, also tire pressure too. first go with a complete suspension bushing change. | ||
| Peter Matusov (Pmatusov) Senior Member Username: Pmatusov Post Number: 848 Registered: 09-2002 |
my 89 was doing the same, even after making sure all the bushings are tight. the problem turned out to be sticking left rear caliper! I don't think it's a frequent cause, though, I would have never suspected that until I saw smoke coming from the wheelwell. The bitch changed two lanes on its own, in rush hour traffic. Scared the shit outta me and my passengers. | ||
| Greg Hirst (Gregh) Member Username: Gregh Post Number: 246 Registered: 10-2002 |
Paul Schram put it as concise as possible. Also, even with steering box adjusted and linkages in good shape your LR steering wheel will still have a rather "dead" on-center feel. LR sells this as a "safety" feature so that wheel is less likely to "jerk" in off road driving conditions (remember keep your thumbs free, blah blah) Also check the condition of the rubber doughnut thingy on your steering input shaft. If cracked will allow alot of movement. | ||
| AC Donahue (Deoppressoliber) New Member Username: Deoppressoliber Post Number: 3 Registered: 07-2003 |
From what I can gather, the swerving all over the road ISSUE #1, is probably related to bushings and/or tie rods for the most part. I just ordered a reman steering gear box and it should be in soon. I'll look at the bushings and other issues you raise shortly to see if I can sort out the swaying. As for ISSUE #2, there seem to be few answers. I can assure you the popping is not coming from 'linkage', but from the differential or cv joints or the transfer case or . . . Again, you can be going in a straight-line and when it changes gears it will pop now. Encountering any obstacle and it pop, pop, pop, pop. The last time I went out on the trail and went after this major obstacle, it sounded like a machinegun rattling off bullets. Some say it is a cracked CV joint in the front wheels. Other say the diff is blown and another says it some chain in the transfer case? Surely, someone has had this indomitable popping and can all of us for sure. | ||
| Adrian Strata (Adrians) New Member Username: Adrians Post Number: 22 Registered: 02-2003 |
On my 91RRC once I replaced the steering shaft (doughnut thingy) my steering and feedback improved almost 100%. I now have the new one wrapped in a heat reflective cover from a disco. All it takes are a few small cracks to ruin it. Hope this helps. Adrian 91RRC | ||
| Paul T. Schram (Paulschram) Senior Member Username: Paulschram Post Number: 1781 Registered: 02-2002 |
AC: your popping can be caused by: Tie rod ends Bushings, Shocks Universal joints I doubt it is your CV joints as they usually don't last very long once they start telling you they don't like the way they were treated in the recent past. Of these, the least expensive although the most intimidating is the swivel pin preload. Next although almost as labor intensive is the Universal joints-I suspect they may never have been changed, it is very common. Next are the tie rods ends, you can even do the alignment yourself using nothing more than a piece of chalk and a string (although I suggest a tape measure). Personally, the replacement of the gear box was one of the last steps I took in the rebuilding of my front end. | ||
| Greg Hirst (Gregh) Member Username: Gregh Post Number: 248 Registered: 10-2002 |
AC- I noticed the "De Oppresso Liber". Did you serve in the Green Berets? | ||
| Orlando Gonzalez (Nomad) New Member Username: Nomad Post Number: 18 Registered: 12-2002 |
I had the same exact problem in my 87 rr. It was the bushings in the panhard rod. Have some one turn the steering wheel slighlty from left to right. While they are doing that look at your panhard rod bushings. | ||
| AC Donahue (Deoppressoliber) New Member Username: Deoppressoliber Post Number: 4 Registered: 07-2003 |
Yes, I did serve in the U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets). I was in during the Reagan 'fun years' 1980-87. It was during my military service that I discovered Land Rovers and fell in love with them. de oppresso liber "to free the oppressed" | ||
| Greg Hirst (Gregh) Senior Member Username: Gregh Post Number: 252 Registered: 10-2002 |
AC- Sweet! Maybe someday you can give us a travelog of some of the less-traveled parts of Central and/or South America!  | ||
| Chris Rud (Rudboy) New Member Username: Rudboy Post Number: 4 Registered: 06-2003 |
Another very common cause for the "wandering and vague" feel in the steering has to do with castor angle. I to have an OME suspension setup on my 92 RRC. My brother has the same setup on his 98 Disco. Both of our rovers have the same vague wandering feel. This is caused my the additional lift which changes the castor angle on the radius arms. The radisu arms are the big arms that extend from the frame to the front axle. When you add lift the arms change angle and that in turn causes a change in castor as well as pinion angle. There are serveral ways to correct this. You can buy the Old Man Emu offsent bushings which are supposed to correct this. Or you can have your radius arms re-worked either by heating and bending....or you can buy a pair setup for you exact lift from http://www.rovertym.com for $250.00. I plan to pick up a pair of the rovertym arms to get my handling back to factory feel. Good luck | ||
| David Woo (Davidwoo) New Member Username: Davidwoo Post Number: 20 Registered: 01-2003 |
AC: have you tried any of the fixes yet? Any luck fixing problem #1? I have a 91 GDE with about the same amount of miles, an OME 3" lift and the same vague wandering problem. A new lower steering arm and a merdian steering box has fixed some of the problem, and others have steered me away from the corrected arms and towards a TT in the front. I'm checking around to see what others have done for this common problem. I also have a bit of driveline vibration caused by the amount of lift: a double carden drive shaft may be in the future. Thanks, DW | ||
| eric johnson (Eric2) Member Username: Eric2 Post Number: 57 Registered: 05-2003 |
I have a '90 RR with the same OME 3" lift. If you correct the castor angle, pretty much count on getting an improved front drive shaft to fix the vibration. I can live with mine as is. I believe there is another option for the castor issue. Someone has re-drilled the mounting holes in the swivel balls where they mate with the axel housing. This fixes the castor angle but keeps the stock angle between the front diff. and transfer case output shaft. Thought I saw it mentioned here or on the D-90 board. The main cause of the "Happy Wanderer" syndrome are trailing arm bushings. "They're DEAD, Jim" |
